What is Moolap known for?

Moolap is best known for the Cheetham Saltworks — striking salt pans that are now an important shorebird habitat — and its historical association with the Wills family, linked to the founding of Australian rules football.

What schools are in Moolap?

Moolap Primary School on Wills Crescent is the local government primary school. Secondary students typically attend Newcomb Secondary College or other Geelong schools.

How do I get from Moolap to Melbourne?

The nearest V/Line train station is South Geelong (~5 km), with trains to Flinders Street Station taking approximately 1 hour. By car via the Princes Freeway takes about 1 hour off-peak.

What is the median rent in Moolap?

Moolap is considered an affordable suburb of Geelong, with rental prices generally below the Geelong median, reflecting its industrial-residential mixed character.

What is the average income in Moolap?

Based on the 2021 Census, the median personal income in Moolap is about $630 per week (around $32,800 per year). The median household income is $1,279 per week and the median family income is $1,482 per week.

What is the age profile of Moolap?

The median age in Moolap is 59. The largest age group is 65–74 (384 residents, around 21%). Around 16% of residents are under 20 and about 44% are aged 65 or older. (2021 Census)

Is Moolap a safe area?

Crime statistics are recorded at the Local Government Area level. Moolap is part of the Greater Geelong LGA — see the Crime Statistics section on this page for the latest recorded offence rates per 100,000 residents, along with 2-year and 10-year trends.

What is the population of Moolap?

Moolap had a population of 1,825 at the 2021 Census, up 32.9% from 1,373 in 2016.

How much is rent in Moolap?

In Moolap, the median weekly rent is $290, and the median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,907 (2021 Census).

Moolap

VIC 3224 • Rest of VIC

1,825

Population (2021)

$66,508

Median Household Income

34.59 km²

Area

$290/wk

Median Rent

HistoricFamily-FriendlyAffordable

About Moolap

Moolap is a residential and industrial suburb situated on the southeastern shore of Corio Bay, in the City of Greater Geelong, Victoria. The name Moolap derives from the Wathaurong Aboriginal word for the nearby Point Henry, 'moo-laa', thought to mean 'men gathering to go fishing'. With a population of approximately 1,373 at the 2016 Census, the suburb is known for its striking saltworks landscape — the Cheetham Saltworks salt pans, a visually distinctive and ecologically significant wetland site. The suburb has a notable historical connection to the Wills family; politician Horatio Wills settled here in the early 1850s, and his son Tom Wills would go on to co-found Australian rules football.

Moolap offers a mix of residential living with easy access to Geelong's eastern suburbs and the Bellarine Peninsula. The suburb's industrial heritage is reflected in the saltworks site at Point Henry, which has become an important habitat for migratory shorebirds and a destination for birdwatchers. Moolap Primary School serves the local community on Wills Crescent, a street named in honour of the Wills family legacy. Residents appreciate the suburb's proximity to the Bellarine Peninsula, the Geelong Waterfront, and access to Melbourne via the Princes Freeway and the V/Line Geelong line.

Moolap falls under postcode 3224 and is governed by Greater Geelong Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Geelong (Western Victoria) electorate.

📍 Location

State

Victoria

Postcode

3224

Urban Area

Geelong - Queenscliff

LGA / Council

Greater Geelong

Federal Electorate

Corangamite

State Electorate

Geelong (Western Victoria)

Type

Major Urban

Timezone

Melbourne (UTC+10)

Coordinates

-38.18°, 144.42°

Statistical Area

Rest of VIC

Area

34.59 km²

Elevation

12m

🏠 Housing 2021 Census

Median Rent (weekly)

$290

Median Mortgage (monthly)

$1,907

Avg Household Size

2.3 people

Median Age

59 years

Social Housing (% of dwellings)

0.4%

0 state housing + 3 community housing dwellings (ABS 2021 Census)

🚌 Transport & Commute

Bus Services

PTV bus services — Geelong CBD 10-30 min

Commute to Geelong CBD

Distance

75 km

By Train

V/Line train service to Melbourne CBD (~60 min from Geelong Station)

By Car (Peak)

1 hr 15 min via Princes Freeway

By Car (Off-Peak)

55–65 min

🛣️ Nearest V/Line station is South Geelong (~5 km). Local bus services connect Moolap to Geelong CBD.

Walkability Car-Dependent

Footpaths exist in residential areas but the suburb is semi-industrial. Most residents drive to shopping and services in Newcomb or Geelong.

🛒 Supermarkets Nearby

No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.

🎓 Schools

🏫

Leopold Primary School

1 Kensington Road

GovernmentPrimaryCoedNon-Denominational

🚔 Crime Statistics LGA-wide

These are the latest rates for the Greater Geelong Local Government Area, which contains Moolap. Rates are per 100,000 residents for the year ending September 2025; trends compare 2 and 10 year periods.

Break & enter (dwelling)

357.1 / 100k

2yr Stable 10yr Down 56.6%

Motor vehicle theft

236.5 / 100k

2yr Up 57.4% 10yr Down 43.2%

Non-FV assault

291.6 / 100k

2yr Up 10.1% 10yr Up 20.2%

Robbery (unarmed)

1.4 / 100k

2yr Down 65.3% 10yr Down 53.8%

Steal from vehicle

772.7 / 100k

2yr Stable 10yr Down 42.4%

View all offence subgroups for Greater Geelong →

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria

🎓 Educational Institution Attending 2021 Census

School Sector Breakdown

👥 Demographics

Census 2016

1,373

Census 2021

1,825

▲ 32.9% growth

Population Growth

Gender Distribution (Census 2021)

Personal Income 2016

$27,820

Personal Income 2021

$32,760

▲ 17.8% increase

2021 Census income breakdown

Personal = median for one earner. Household = all members of a dwelling pooled. Family = related members only. Annual = weekly × 52.

Personal

$32,760 / yr

$630/wk

Household

$66,508 / yr

$1279/wk

Family

$77,064 / yr

$1482/wk

Personal Income Comparison (2016 vs 2021)

📊 Population: ABS Census 2021

💰 Income: ABS Census 2021

🌍 Country of Birth 2021 Census

Born in Australia 1,435

Born Overseas 269

Top Countries of Birth (excl. Australia)

1. England 73
2. New Zealand 26
3. Italy 20
4. Scotland 17
5. Germany 16
6. Netherlands 15
7. Vietnam 10
8. Malta 9
9. India 7
10. Croatia 5
11. Ireland 5
12. Philippines 5
13. Cambodia 4
14. Fiji 4
15. Thailand 4

🧬 Ancestry 2021 Census

Top ancestries reported (people may report up to two)

English 731

Australian 610

Irish 220

Scottish 207

Italian 96

German 72

Dutch 57

Maltese 19

Vietnamese 18

Polish 15

👨‍👩‍👧 Parents' Birthplace 2021 Census

1,117

Both parents born in Australia

331

Both parents born overseas

164

One parent AU, one overseas

🛐 Religion 2021 Census

Christianity

51.1%

No Religion

34.0%

Islam

1.3%

Buddhism

0.8%

📊 Age Distribution 2021 Census

0-4 years

63 (3.5%)

5-14 years

155 (8.5%)

15-19 years

78 (4.3%)

20-24 years

53 (2.9%)

25-34 years

145 (7.9%)

35-44 years

139 (7.6%)

45-54 years

185 (10.1%)

55-64 years

203 (11.1%)

65-74 years

384 (21.0%)

75-84 years

311 (17.0%)

85+ years

117 (6.4%)